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Top Story
Support
for session limits builds as legislature
adjourns longest session in state’s history
Nearly
11 months after the legislature convened for this year’s
budget-writing session, the General Assembly adjourned Dec. 6, ending the longest legislative
session in state history. The session lasted 317 calendar days
and ended just as Gov. Mike Easley was lighting
the official state Christmas tree. Read
an overview story on the final days of the session.
NCCBI's agenda fared well during the session, despite several
obstacles. Read a review
of what was accomplished.
We have several other stories
wrapping up the session:
The
congressional redistricting plan adopted by the legislature
mainly protects incumbents but gives an edge to the Democrats
in the state's new 13th District. Analysis,
map.
The state House
and Senate redistricting plans shift power to the state's
growing urban areas. Analysis.
The interminable length of the
session spurred
renewed interest in a constitutional limit imposing session
limits. NCCBI has made session
limits its top legislative priority in next
year’s legislative session. Read
more on NCCBI's position. Read
an op-ed column by the Senate's leading proponent of session
limits.
The General Assembly is scheduled to reconvene next May 28 but
may be back sooner if Gov. Mike Easley calls an emergency session to deal with the
worrisome budget situation. Stories,
charts on the state's weak economy.
The study
commission bill, one of the last pieces of legislation adopted
each session, hints at laws in the making for next year. Story.
Another
last-minute piece of business for the legislature is
announcing appointments by the House and Senate leaders to
various boards and commissions. Appointments
list.
Lawmakers filed 2,587 pieces of legislation during the session, 555
of which have become new laws. See ratified
bills list.
Some important bills passed during the final days of the
session, including a revision to the Bill Lee Act. Legislative
actions. State
Government News
DOT ramps
up road maintenance budget
A special provision in the budget
bill will allow the N.C. Department of Transportation to use
$420 million of cash balances for maintenance during the
next three years. In the first year, the department will
improve about 400 miles of highway across the state. Story.
Economic
Development News
Four
new plants to create 2,700 jobs
Universal
Leaf North America broke ground recently for a $100 million
tobacco warehouse and processing plant in Nash County that
will create 1,000 new jobs. The development was the largest of
four economic development announcements by international
companies which said they plan to invest a total of more than
$350 million in the state’s economy and create 2,700 new
jobs. Read that story.
NCCBI Chairman
Gordon Myers is sworn in as chairman of the state's new
Economic Development Board. At that ceremony, Gov. Easley
delivers his first major address outlining his views on
economic development policy. Story,
picture.  Happy
holidays from NCCBI!
As
our holiday present to you, we're happy to pass along a new
version of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" produced
by our friends at the N.C. Retail Merchants Association. Sing
along.
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